Install Windows 7 in ACHI or IDE sata mode for SSD?

[idkanymore]

Hey everyone,

Well, I've done a lot of research (googling) on whether or not to install Windows 7 on my solid state drive in AHCI or IDE sata mode. I wanted to confirm it with you guys to make sure I got this straight before I go ahead and install Windows 7.

If I install windows 7 on my solid state drive in sata mode ahci then later I can go to IDE if I wanted to by just switching it in bios. But if I install windows 7 under IDE mode then ill have to do a registry value change to make windows 7 work in ahci mode.

Is that right?

Everyone seems to have a different opinion on whether or not ahci mode is faster or worth it over IDE mode for windows 7 on a SSD. I'm not all that interested in hot swapping so thats not a interesting feature for me. I'm looking for reliability as a top priority.

 

[MRFS]

Start with AHCI, and stay with AHCI --
UNLESS you plan to use an Intel ICHxR Southbridge.

Allyn Malventano at www.pcper.com pretty much refuted
the research claiming that IDE mode is better: it's not:

http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=901


If you plan to go with an Intel ICHxR I/O controller hub,
Intel strongly recommends setting your BIOS to RAID mode
before installing Windows the first time, EVEN IF
all connected drives will operate in JBOD or non-RAID mode
(Just a Bunch Of Disks).

Intel calls this "RAID Ready". The key is to understand
that the Intel Option ROM needs to be launched
before installing an OS, in order to initialize all
connected devices as JBOD.

RAID is a superset of AHCI, so starting with RAID mode
will enable all AHCI features too.

See Intel's latest documentation for Rapid Storage Technology
("RST") concerning TRIM support: as of the last reading I have done
on this point, TRIM will work with an SSD only if the BIOS
is initialized to RAID mode and each connected device
is initialized to run in JBOD or non-RAID mode.

TRIM is not supported on Intel's ICHxR I/O controller hubs
if any of the connected devices are configured in a RAID mode of any kind
(as far as I know).

p.s.
I would be glad to know this limitation has been removed.
Please, everyone, do post an update here if that is now the case.


MRFS

 

[idkanymore]

So what you're saying is I should install Windows 7 in raid because it will let me be raid ready in case I want to use it in the future and still be able to use AHCI?

 

[Scotteq]

Installing Win 7 on an SSD?

Understand that IDE mode does not support the TRIM command needed to keep your expensive SSD running at it's performance potential. Therefore you should install in AHCI mode.

 

[idkanymore]

Best answer selected by idkanymore.

 

[swingking03]

Do you have to put it AHCI mode before installation? Because I am having trouble with this. I tried changing it to AHCI after Windows 7 installation and it will not boot. Any ideas?

 

[omicron37]

Beats The heck out me ...because I'm also having trouble with this and probably tons of other individuals....I'm using asus rampage
3 formula mobo....plextor 128 gb sata 3 ssd and windows 7 ultimate 64 bit OS...

 

[Cubicboy]

I have a ssd and two 1tb drives. Before I put everything together i googled and just went with ahci. I then setup mu two normal 1tb drive in a mirror volume configeration and everything was fine for the first four months. Since then all kinds of strange things have been going wrong and I though everything was broken, then I had a black screen and it wouldn't boot. I unplugged the two drive and it started up no poroblem. Since then I have reinstalled in IDE and everythings fine. My screeen was acting up, it was crashing, it was foing everything thats irriating, but after four months of great functioning. Thats my story with ahci and ide. I can't see any difference now in ide other then the fact that it works and starts.

I have read that its dogy to have some hdd running ahci, but i used it because of the ssd and in the end I'm in ide and everything is grand and my mirror volume is stable and healthy, well so far.

 

[spooky2th]

I too am running my SSD in IDE and like you say everything is grand. I switched to AHCI by hacking the registry and booting into bios and setting ahci and it booted OK and everything seemed OK. But the boots were so slow compared to IDE so I switched back by reversing what I did. Now win 7 HP boots in 6 to 8 seconds again. Grand!